Disability Support Services
The American University of Armenia aims to establish a learning environment which supports diverse student learning abilities and addresses challenges students may face in pursuit of their education. Students with physical, psychological, or sensory conditions, be they chronic or temporary, can access the University’s Disability Support Services (DSS). DSS will assist students who are in need of accommodations in and outside of the classroom. The service is provided in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Procedure
1. Submit a copy of your current disability documentation from your doctor or diagnostician. Once your documentation has been received, it will be reviewed by AUA Counselor to determine the most appropriate support services.
2. The student is responsible to have an evaluation by a professional and present this documentation to the Counselor. Currently, no evaluation services are available on campus. AUA does not endorse any specific clinic or professional.
3. The DSS consultant will meet with you to let you know that we have reviewed your documentation and will discuss the next steps in securing support services
4. Before classes begin, please schedule an appointment.
5. During the appointment, the Counselor will discuss with you the accommodations you are eligible to receive based upon your disability related functional limitations. You will be asked to share information about how your disability affects your ability to access the classroom, class materials and campus services and to describe the accommodations and services you have used in the past.
Please note that the information regarding student’s disability will not be released to any faculty, staff, or administration without student’s consent. The waiver form must be completed by the student applying for accommodation and student will receive support based on this agreement. Records will not be released without written consent by the student and will be destroyed when student completes their studies.
Disability Support Services in cooperation with AUA faculty strive to provide AUA students equal learning opportunities. With guidance from faculty, Disability Support Services develop appropriate accommodations to meet the needs of the students while maintaining the integrity of the course standards and program requirements. Faculty members are only responsible to provide accommodations processed from Disability Support Services.
Disability Support Services does not conduct testing for disabilities. Students must come with appropriate documentation of their disability when filing a self-identification form.
Confidentiality
Faculty can play an important role by informing and encouraging students with a disability to seek Disability Support Services. By law, the student must give consent for their information to be released to faculty or staff. All disability information must be treated confidentially and shared only for the purpose of providing accommodations or services. Not all students who have disabilities necessarily request disability support services. The student is responsible for requesting assistance and submitting a self-identification form.
Forms of accommodations
There are specific cases where students may be eligible to receive assistance from Disability Support Services such as preferential seating, note-taking, and audio recording lectures. For some cases, students with disabilities may require testing accommodations. These accommodations may include the following options, to name a few: providing a quiet testing space, extended time, scribing, and oral assessment.
PROCEDURE:
- An AUA student submits a self-identification form to Disability Support Services.
- Coordinator of Disability Support Services meets with the student to verify forms and accommodations.
- The DSS consultant will meet with you to let you know that we have reviewed your documentation and will discuss the next steps in securing support services.